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Flame retardant isn’t the only
questionable substance Coca Cola is looking to distance itself
from in recent days.

While consumers have long queried whether or not the beloved
beverage happens to contain cocaine, Coke has now scrapped an ad campaign perceived by
social media and the blogosphere to allude to the drug.

Themed “You’re On,” the ads presented the beverage as an energy
driver for consumers in make-or-break situations. One print ad
read: “You moved to New York with the clothes on your back, the
cash in your pocket and your eyes on the prize. You’re on. Diet
Coke.”

Unfortunately for the beverage giant, the placement (and font
size) of the word diet had many consumers reading "You're On.
Coke."

When all this hoopla began a few months back, Coca Cola told AdWeek that the
advertising campaign "celebrates ambitious young achievers
from all walks of life and reminds them that Diet Coke is
there to support them in the moments when they are at their
best.” The company added that there was absolutely no
connection with any illegal drugs.

But AdWeek, which suggests that the drug reference
was intentional, also noted the name of the New York
agency that developed the ads, Droga5, seemingly adds fuel to the
fire -- as "drogas" translates to drugs in Spanish.

As a result of all the blowback, Coke will replace the ads
beginning today with the same campaign -- entitled “Just for the
taste of it” -- that it used to introduce Diet Coke back in 1983.
A new print ad reads, “There’s nothing like the refreshing taste
of Diet Coke. Except maybe finding a twenty in your pocket.
That’s pretty great.”